The city of Asti is located about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River and it's one of the most important centers of Montferrat, one of the best known Italian wine districts in the world.

Rinaldo d ' Asti is robbed, arrives at Castle Guglielmo, and is entertained by a widow lady ; his property is restored to him, the robbers caught and hanged, and he returns home safe and sound.

It is served in slices, vertically cut, accompanied with sweet hot beverages or a sweet wine, such as Asti or Moscato d ' Asti.

Asti is a city and comune of about 75, 000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River.

It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed to be the modern capital of Monferrato ( Montferrat in English ).

People have lived in and around what is now Asti since the Neolithic period.

Asti has a continental climate which is moderated by the proximity of the Mediterranean sea: its winters are warmer, and its summers cooler than Turin.

During November and December in particular, the town of Asti can be prone to fog, which is less common in the higher-altitude areas that surround it.

Asti is the home to several old churches.

One of the most famous events held in Asti is the famous Palio di Asti, in which all the old town wards, called " Rioni " and " Borghi " plus nearby towns compete in a bare-back horse race.

Asti city is in the centre of this area and is the major city of this notable wine district.

Part of Monferrato lies in the Province of Asti, and is an important area for the production of fine wines.

Perhaps the wine most famously associated with Asti worldwide is the sparkling Asti ( DOCG ).

The name today is usually shortened to ‘ Asti ’ in order to avoid associations with the many wines of dubious quality which are labelled as Spumante.

Asti is typically sweet and low in alcohol ( often below 8 %).

A premium version known as Moscato d ' Asti ( DOCG ) is seen outside Italy.

Besides Asti Spumante being the most known wine abroad, the most renowned wine made in Asti and Monferrato is the red wine called Barbera.

* The Visigoths advance on Mediolanum ( modern Milan ) and laid siege to Asti in Liguria.

Asti become an important city of the Augustan Regio IX, favoured by its strategic position on the Tanaro river and on the Via Fulvia, which linked Derthona ( Tortona ) to Augusta Taurinorum ( Turin ).

After Frederick's death, the struggle against Thomas II of Savoy became fierce: the Astigiani defeated him on February 23, 1255, at the Battle of Montebruno, but Thomas ( who had been taken prisoner ) replied ordering all traders from Asti to be arrested in Savoy and France.

Napoleon himself visited Asti on April 29, 1805, but was received rather coldly by the citizens.

This event recalls a victory in battle versus the rival city Alba, during the Middle Ages after the victorious battle a race was held around Alba's walls, from then on every year in Asti.

His father's background helped his career: the elder Bertolucci had helped the Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini publish his first novel, and Pasolini reciprocated by hiring Bertolucci as first assistant in Rome on Accattone ( 1961 ), where he met his first wife, Adriana Asti.

Sparkling wines are made throughout Italy but the Italian sparklers most widely seen on the world market are the Franciacorta from Lombardy, Asti from Piedmont, Lambrusco from Emilia and Prosecco from Veneto.

Steve and Lu Cozma played at the Regal Rooms in Hammersmith on November 5th 2010 and are headlining in Asti, Italy on December 9th 2010.

She further stipulates that on his return he will have to answer the question, Asti Kashchid Vāgārthah " (" Is there anything special in expression?

After studying philosophy and theology at the seminary of Asti, Sodano was ordained a priest by Bishop Umberto Rossi on 23 September 1950, and then did pastoral work and taught dogmatic theology at the Asti seminary.

He was ordained a bishop in his native Asti by Cardinal Antonio Samoré on 15 January 1978.

* The Piedmont wine region of northern Italy is rainshadowed by the mountains that surround it on nearly every side ; Asti receives only 527 mm of precipitation each year, making it one of the driest places in mainland Italy.

The teutonic knight Bonifacius Rotarius ( of Asti ) made the first ascent of Rochemelon on 1 September 1358, to bring a small metal image of the Holy Virgin as a gesture of gratitude for having survived captivity in the Holy land during a war against the Muslims.

Producers in the Asti region try to model Grignolino on the wines of Beaujolais and those made from the Dolcetto grape in the Cuneo.

To the east it borders on the province of Asti.

To the north it borders on the Province of Vercelli and to the west on the provinces of Turin and Asti.

The Province of Asti was created on April 1st 1935 by Royal Decree No. 297 of King Victor Emmanuel III.

When he was two years old, his parents returned to their native place at Murialdo on the outskirts of Castelnuovo d ' Asti ( which was the birthplace of John Bosco ), and from where they had gone to Riva in 1841 His parents took great care to give him a Christian upbringing.

The French position, centered on Turin, reached outward to a series of fortified towns: Pinerolo, Carmagnola, Savigliano, Susa, Moncalieri, Villanova, Chivasso, and a number of others ; d ' Avalos, meanwhile, controlled a group of fortresses on the periphery of the French territory: Mondovì, Asti, Casale Monferrato, Vercelli, and Ivrea.

The provinces of Piedmont with the Asti producing provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria located in the south east.

Honorius, slumbering at Milan was caught unaware and quickly fled to Asti, only to be pursued by Alaric, who marched into Liguria.

In the late Carolingian age Asti was ruled directly by his bishops, who were the main landlords of the area.

The bishopric of Asti remained a powerful entity well into the 11th century, when Pietro II received huge privileges by emperor Henry II.

Asti was one of the first free communes of Italy, and in 1140 received the right to mint coins of its own by Conrad II.

During the wars led by Emperor Frederick II in northern Italy, the city chose his side: Asti was defeated by the Guelphs of Alessandria at Quattordio and Clamandrana, but thanks to Genoese help, it recovered easily.

Some years later Asti was conquered by the Spanish, although Savoy regained the city in 1643.

In November 1703, during the War of Spanish Succession, Asti fell to France again ; it was reconquered in 1705 by Victor Amadeus II.

The following year the Savoyards were expelled from Piedmont by the French revolutionary army, and Asti was occupied by general Montrichard.

The interior, with a nave and two aisles, houses a wide cycle of 18th century frescoes, some altarpieces by Gandolfino d ' Asti and precious silver artworks from the 15th-16th centuries.

The façade has three notable Gothic portals, while the interior houses a polyptych by Gandolfino d ' Asti and other works.

The three neighbouring Provinces of Asti, Cuneo, and Alessandria incorporate the Langhe and Monferrato hill region in the centre of Piedmont, limestone and sandstone deposits laid down by the retreating Adriatic some 5 million years ago, and are home to some of Italy's finest red wines, plus some famous whites.

The above theme is present in almost all of Bertolucci's works, starting with his second film, Prima della rivoluzione ( 1964 ), where this theme is very clear in the story of a young upper-middle agrarian class boy from Parma ( Francesco Barilli ), who, incapable of dealing with his best friend's suicide, throws himself into a relationship with a much older distant relative from Milan ( played by Adriana Asti ).

During his absence, Regent Christine had gained control of the fortresses granted to Thomas Francis as part of the settlement of the Piedmontese Civil War ( legally, these reverted to ducal control when the Duke came of age, which under Piedmontese law Charles Emmanuel did in 1648, though his mother remained in control of the government ; Christine, accompanied by her son and part of the ducal army, entered Ivrea and dismissed Thomas ' personal garrison ; she appointed Thomas Francis instead as governor or Asti and Alba, positions which sweetened the blow but were entirely under ducal control, not guaranteed by treaty.

During his absence, Regent Christine had gained control of the fortresses granted to Thomas as part of the settlement of the Piedmontese Civil War ( legally, these reverted to ducal control when the Duke came of age, which under Piedmontese law Charles Emmanuel did in 1648, though his mother remained in control of the government ; Christine, accompanied by her son and part of the ducal army, entered Ivrea and dismissed Thomas ' personal garrison ; she appointed Thomas instead as governor or Asti and Alba, positions which sweetened the blow but were entirely under ducal control, not guaranteed by treaty.

The English translation is: Victor Amadeus III, by the Grace of God, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, Montferrat, Chablais, Aosta and Genevois, Prince of Piedmont and Oneglia, Marquis ( of the Holy Roman Empire ) in Italy, of Saluzzo, Susa, Ivrea, Ceva, Maro, Oristano, Sezana, Count of Maurienne, Nice, Tende, Asti, Alessandria, Goceano, Baron of Vaud and Faucigny, Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, Tarentaise, Lumellino, Val di Sesia, Prince and perpetual Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire in Italy.

Victor Emmanuel II, by the Grace of God and the Will of the Nation, King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, Count of Maurienne, Marquis ( of the Holy Roman Empire ) in Italy ; Prince of Piedmont, Carignano, Oneglia, Poirino, Trino ; Prince and Perpetual vicar of the Holy Roman Empire ; Prince of Carmagnola, Montmellian with Arbin and Francin, Prince bailliff of the Duchy of Aosta, Prince of Chieri, Dronero, Crescentino, Riva di Chieri e Banna, Busca, Bene, Brà, Duke of Genoa, Monferrat, Aosta, Duke of Chablais, Genevois, Duke of Piacenza, Marquis of Saluzzo ( Saluces ), Ivrea, Susa, del Maro, Oristano, Cesana, Savona, Tarantasia, Borgomanero e Cureggio, Caselle, Rivoli, Pianezza, Govone, Salussola, Racconigi con Tegerone, Migliabruna e Motturone, Cavallermaggiore, Marene, Modane e Lanslebourg, Livorno Ferraris, Santhià Agliè, Centallo e Demonte, Desana, Ghemme, Vigone, Count of Barge, Villafranca, Ginevra, Nizza, Tenda, Romont, Asti, Alessandria, del Goceano, Novara, Tortona, Bobbio, Soissons, Sant ' Antioco, Pollenzo, Roccabruna, Tricerro, Bairo, Ozegna, delle Apertole, Baron of Vaud e del Faucigni, Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, della Lomellina, della Valle Sesia, del marchesato di Ceva, Overlord of Monaco, Roccabruna and 11 / 12th of Menton, Noble patrician of Venice, patrician of Ferrara.